Day 82 - Swingers

Our pre booked trip meant that we were up and off early to park the van and then check in to our activity which started at 09:20. We’d decided to let Queenstown give us one last adrenaline rush before we said farewell and were sure this would be the biggest one yet. Once checked in we got on the coach that would take us about 40 minutes out of the town to our destination, though it did make a stop halfway there for other passengers. As we got closer what we were about to do sunk in more until we were turning off the main road and making our way up a very steep private track. This road eventually brought us out on the top of the side of Nevis Canyon where we could see our fate; in front of us was the huge canyon and extending out into this canyon was a bridge-like structure with a room at the end. There were lots of steel cables holding everything in place but the attention grabber was really the sheer size of this canyon. Beyond the first suspended metal bridge was another one in the distance. The first bridge was where we would be doing our tandem swing in the canyon and the bridge further along was for the bungy jumps. The AJ Hackett Nevis Bungy is the highest in NZ at 134 metres but the swing is the highest/ biggest in the world, with a free-fall of 70 or so metres and an arc swing of 300 metres where you reach speeds of about 125kph. This is where the nerves really took hold; with the guide now asking if we wanted to go watch the bungy jumpers before doing the swing. We had a fair drive ahead of us and opted to just do the swing, though all the others opted to watch the jumps first. We were then told to just make our way across the bridge to the swing station. This walk out over the canyon got the adrenaline flowing though we still had the worst to come. We joined the two crew members at the station who buckled us up together after asking us how we’d like to swing; we’d opted to go forwards on one of the guy’s recommendations thinking this was because it would be the least scary. Once we were secured in the position he informed us that it’s because it’s one of the most fun ways as you see what’s coming towards you… cheers dude! We then assumed a sitting position before dangling our feet over the edge and being slowly cabled out a couple of metres. During all these steps we’d had our photos taken, all happy and smiley, before we were asked how we wanted to be released. We took a look at our predicament and scanned the valley below then heard one of the guys asked “Countdown then?” We looked at each other and agreed and heard the 3 numbers that would release us from the safety of the station. As the button was pushed we heard the clunk of the swing being released as our bodies, still in a sitting position, tilted forwards 90 degrees and the cliffs and floor way below became all too visible. For the first half a second or so everything still felt fine as there was the feeling of weight; but this was soon gone and the 70 metre free-fall began. The bottom of the canyon came rushing towards us as we plummeted face first down towards it and both made our feelings vocal; Danny giving an “Oh my God” followed by a couple of “Wooooooo”’s and Corrie giving her finest scream, which actually ran out whilst falling. The next thing we felt was tension in the cable and a truly wonderful feeling that we weren’t going to splat right into the rocks. We then swung right out into the vastness of the canyon and could now really enjoy the thrill of this crazy invention. It wasn’t long before we were being winched back up and towards the station, then heading back to the main centre at the other side of the bridge where we could look at our photos etc. We both were buzzing and high from the adrenaline, with any feelings of tiredness from before now long gone. Corrie admitted that she genuinely thought she was going to die, if not from hitting the rocks then from sheer shock though was now positively beaming seeing as neither of those things had happened. We decided to get the photos and video on disk so we could relive our stupidness later. Soon the shuttle bus was dropping us back in town and we were making our way to find some lunch; which came in the form of pizza, yum.

 

 

We ate then set off to the town of Glenorchy which is a lovely little place; though the drive there and back from Queenstown is beautiful itself (apparently another one of the nicest drives in the world.) If we’d had more time we would have ventured slightly further out to Paradise which is meant to be as its name suggests. But we didn’t and so we didn’t, instead we made our way back to Queenstown then continued out to another lovely place called Wanaka.

On the route we decided to stop and watch some of the jumpers on the world’s original bungy: the AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge Bungy. This one was the world’s first and offers people the chance to jump from the 43 metre high bridge with the springy cables attached to them. There is also the option to allow your cord to let you plunge slightly into the water as if the jump isn’t enough of a thrill. We watched a few jump including a very, very nervous lady who was jumping in tandem with her partner. She was gradually coaxed onto the ledge before a countdown was given and the lady went from leaning back at a 45 degree angle to speeding head first towards the Kawarau River. – It was a good one to watch. We talked over giving this a go, though decided against it in the end as we’d had a 70 metre free-fall face first this morning and figured the 43 metre one wouldn’t be much different. The worst thing about a bungy though is that you have to throw yourself off the ledge, whereas we had no say in the matter.

Afterwards we made our way to Wanaka and found a camp-site where we could stay the night. We got free Wi-Fi here so abused that whilst trying to lure out a cat that tried to make the space under our bed its new home.